ECLASS 8.0

You purchase a license for ECLASS Release 8.0 in all available languages in the export formats BASIC (csv and XML) and ADVANCED (XML). Most of the language versions are partly translated; the rest filled with the English original.

The ECLASS Major Release 8.0 is an enhancement and modification of the ECLASS Minor Release 7.1. 

With Release 7.0 an improved structure according to the underlying ISO13584 data model and an ISO-standard XML format (OntoML) was introduced.

Starting with ECLASS Release 7.0, there are two different versions of ECLASS which contain the same classes, but differ in the product description on the basis of properties and values:

• BASIC (in .csv or .XML format). The BASIC version contains only the content that could be represented in a .csv format that was the exclusively used export format before 7.0. Therefore, it does not contain property block structures nor dynamic elements as in the ADVANCED version. BASIC does contain all classes of the ADVANCED, but the product description with the help of properties and values is structured a lot easier. BASIC is therefore a subset of ADVANCED.
• ADVANCED (only in .XML format). The ADVANCED version is the leading version in the database and built on the basis of the data model ISO13584. It contains all structural elements of the ECLASS classification system including property blocks, dynamic elements such as reference properties, polymorphism and cardinality blocks. The description of these extended structural components as well as additional information can be found under ADVANCED Version in our Technical Support. 
  Each classification class refers to both an ADVANCED and a BASIC application class that contains the product description with the help of properties and values. The ADVANCED version contains the complete content of ECLASS and is therefore an extension of the 8.1 basic version.
  In our Technical Support you may find an overview (matrix of functionalities) which makes it possible for you to compare the two versions (BASIC and ADVANCED) and their possibilities. A provided reference table (XML File: Mapping BASIC_ADVANCED) enables users of the ADVANCED version to exchange technical data with users of the BASIC version. Hereby, the necessary know-how has to be delivered by the user of the ADVANCED version.

ECLASS 8.0 comprises in comparison to Release 7.1

• approx. 320 new classes
• numerous re-structured classes (240 moves, 230 joins, 160 splits)
• approx. 6,000 edited classes by re-naming all 90-classes from "unclassified" to "unspecified"
• approx. 500 new properties
• more than 100,000 new class-property-relations (BASIC and ADVANCED)
• approx. 370 new values
• approx. 70 new value lists
• 900 new relations of values to value lists
• 300 constraints (limitation of values in a value lists in the context of a class)
• approx. 130 new keywords
• ONLY IN ADVANCED:
  • 32,000 new ADVANCED application classes for all ECLASS classes
    • incl. Assignments of the aspects Commercial, Identification, Information and – where necessary - REACH, RoHS, Battery designation, WEEE 
    • incl. the mapping of all BASIC properties to ADVANCED properties
  • 75 new property blocks 
  • > 500 new relations of properties to blocks

All available downloads at the ECLASS Shop generally contain a complete ECLASS version in csv format or XML format (for initial implementation). For information on the data structure, please refer to the enclosed README file.

These changes of the content are based on the following measures:

• Re-structuring of adhesives from segment 24 to segment 23
• Re-structuring of the 90/91/92-classes ascording to the new concept as a pilot in segment 32 (complete re-structuring of the ECLASS classification system is planned for 9.0)
• New content and re-structuring in segment 34 in the areas of desinfection, implants, ostomy care and above all medical clothing and gloves from segment 40
• Requests for the finalization of the harmonization with the classification system PROLIST as preparation for the organizational merge (the PROLIST association will merge into the ECLASS association)
• Requests by the expert group on CAx
• Product description of the classes in segment 29 in the area of small and large household appliances
• Correction of the properties concerning the topics REAH, RoHS, Battery designation and WEEE (removal of the properties from the basic sets of properties lists and assignment to only relevant classes)
• Correction of invalid descriptive codes (CodedNames) and re-naming of the 90-classes to "unspecified" incl. a generic definition
• Correction of class duplicates
• Correction of mismatches between units and related DIN quantities of a property
• Introduction of value lists
  • No change in the BASIC version 
  • Changes in ADVANCED:
    • Values were moved from the templates into the dictionary and therein assigned to value lists
  • Open value lists: ECLASS interpretes its value lists as open, i.e. as suggestions that cannot guarantee exhaustiveness. As the ISO defines value lists as restrictive and exclusive, i.e. only those values of a value list are valid for a property and no others, ECLASS had to change its structure to be ISO-compliant. Therefore ECLASS distinguishes now between restrictive value lists (in the ISO-sense) that include on the one side only BOOLEAN property-value-relations and values creating a polymorphism and on the other side suggested lists (proposed "open" lists that are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and only in the context of a class).
• Introduction of constraints: with Release 8.0 ECLASS introduces constraints, i.e. the limitation of a set of values of a property in the context of a class.
  • E.g. a property "colour" might have the value list [red;yellow;green]. For a class "traffic light" all colours are valid, but for class "pedestrian traffic light" only [red;green] might be valid, i.e. a constraint is created for the value "yellow". 
  • Therefore all values (except restricted values, see 3.1.5) are to be seen in the context of a class

Content ECLASS 8.0 BASIC (csv):

• Classes file (complete)
• Properties file (complete)
• Keywords and Synonyms file
• Values file (complete)
• Unit file (complete)
• Class-Property relations file
• Value lists (restricted Property-Value relations file, only BOOLEAN properties)
• Proposal lists (suggested Class-Property-Value relations file incl. constraints)
• README file ECLASS standard
• Reference matrix ECLASS-CPV-GPC-UNSPSC
• README file reference matrix

Content ECLASS 8.0 BASIC (XML) or ADVANCED (XML):

• 30 XML files: for each segment one XML file that contains the complete content of the relevant segment (Classes, Keywords, Properties, Synonyms, Values, Value Lists, Units and all relations) (complete)
• Templates: additionally to the 30 XML files that contain the content of a segment one XML file per segment is added that describes the templates. Templates contain a Data Requirement Statement for the data exchange, in which can be defined e.g. sequences or optional and mandatory fields between the data transmitter and the receiver. You can find more information in our Technical Support under Templates. 
• ECLASS units ("UnitsML" in XML format)
• Only ADVANCED: Additionally for the ADVANCED user the mapping file BASIC - ADVANCED is included
• README file

In the following, you will find the structure of the XML files. The placeholder "xy" stands for the different language codes.